i typically gave $$$ to the local kh and seldom gave donations to the society.. i always am amazed how some church going people have very little materially, yet make sure the church and the pastors are well taken care of..
I donated very little or very seldom to the KH or WTBTS.
But now that I attend church...I'm a regular tither and have tithed more in one year than I did in 30 years of JW. I think the principal of giving is key to success....I learned this prior to joining my church or accepting my Christian belief.
Giving is more for the giver that the receiver....not matter what your beliefs.
i've recently been thinking about our culture and how christianity in our western culture has failed to keep up with advancements in science.
) churches have let reason sink into the intellectual closet of fundamentalism.
"feel good" churches seem to be the norm today.
Our belief is based on faith BUT our defence of that belief must be other than that, IMO.
We must be able to defend our faith with as much reason and intellect as we can.
,,,,I believe your walk should say everything about your faith. Jesus did not spend time defending the faith....but living the faith.
yeah...it was wrong.
i got upset and blurted this truth.
seems kinda screwy that telling someone a truth could be wrong.
Neverknew...I apologize for saying you are codependent. Because I don't know you...but you stated a few things that I think have nothing to do with dating a JW. He's not acknowledging you (and if he's telling you he's working on more priveleges in the JW faith...then acknowledging you anytime soon is not going to happen), he has legal issues (this is not a good thing for a JW or nonJW).
Now you are meeting him to remove the scales from his eyes regarding the JW. If you love him and he love you. The biggest issue would be to love each other no matter what religion. So starting with him acknowledging you would be a first priority.
I was a JW and married a worldy person...and I know of many who have done the same. But the people that I know....did not hide their mate. They seem to have solid marriages...2 I know of have been married 22 years and 35 years and both spouses have never become JW. And when they support their mate by attending the KH or the Conventions, dinners, etc...the JW treat them very well.
...so my point is as you stated you have more going for your life. So I would be very cautious in regards to this relationship. You really deserve better treatment.
yeah...it was wrong.
i got upset and blurted this truth.
seems kinda screwy that telling someone a truth could be wrong.
Neverknew
I was a non baptized JW (still believed) and then married a nonJW and got baptized. I was a total arrogant arse...who was not capable of loving him because of the JW beliefs.
jamiebowers..likens a JW to an alcoholic ( this is a true statement). Alcoholics/JW's are not capable of having a healty emotional relationship.
I know it may hurt now...but you are better off not being in this unhealty relationship. He just is not capable of loving in the control of the religion. And trying to change him is very codependent behavior on your part.
I say run and run fast if he still believe the JW's are the troof.
some people leave because they are fed up with the elders.
others have personality issues.
some have doctrinal and prophecy reasons.
andys....you wrote my exact thoughts....except I read COC in 2000.
I hated everything about being a JW when I started Kindergarten and had to color a clown instead of a Santa Claus. I was the rebellious JW kid...I hated everything. I was very intelligent and social and everything that my hard work accomplished, being asked to be editor of the school newspaper, being voted as Class President without running, nominated for HomeComing Queen. Track coaches begging my parents to let me run on the track team for 3 years straight...Anythng that normal parents would be so very happy for their child...mind had to remind me that these were not something that would honor Jehovah. ....I have always hated this f**king religion.
...but what do I do when I when I married a non JW and moved to a new city. I get lonely and home sick....so I meet a nice lady at the bus stop who is a JW and I saw it as a sign from Jehovah that I needed to go back to the KH. I get baptized, ruin a potentially great marriage and all the other trappings of choosing the f**king JW religion.
So reading COC verified everthing I knew my whole life that my parents had chosen a f**king cult. That I HATE!!!! I really want to release my utter HATE for the this f**king relighion.
i was curious, how many jws end up getting caught up in pyramid scemes like amway.
i was caught up in there online program quixstar for a little while several years ago.
i noticed there are several similarities between amway and a cult..
The MLM business is definitely cultish...some more than others.
I was a Mary Kay rep and became one when I was a JW. And I realized how similar the two were, when I left the JW. I was very involved with my Mary Kay business and was even given the chance to work my arse off for a car (they do not give them to you...you must keep your production #'s up). ....I was missing the meetings and my Director call to see why I had been missing meetings. She stated that when I have a great week with sales/recruits, etc...the meetings need me, but when I had a bad week, I needed the meetings. When she said that my PTSD kicked in and I never attended a meeting since. And as you would know, my director would call me about everyday to see how I was doing, I thought we were really friends. But after I quite working the MK business, she basically disfellowshipped me.
...so when friends/family that you have not heard from in years call with these great opportunities...I usually know it's one of the great MLM opportunities and I simply decline. Two cults in one lifetime has been enough for me.
since leaving the wt, i have spoted so many false teachers from osteen to creflo dollar, but there is some great men of god who speak truth,who arnt afraid to proclaim the gospel, and who dont cater to tickling mens ears my three favorite are paul washer, steve lawson and john piper.
who are yours?.
and people who love holiness
...WOW!!!! I bet you were a GREAT JW
since leaving the wt, i have spoted so many false teachers from osteen to creflo dollar, but there is some great men of god who speak truth,who arnt afraid to proclaim the gospel, and who dont cater to tickling mens ears my three favorite are paul washer, steve lawson and john piper.
who are yours?.
Joel Osteen is wonderful for new Christians and he definitely serve a purpose. You don't need to fire and brimstone to scare you into serving God.
But the preachers that I love are:
1. Dr. Leslie Smith (my preacher)
2. Tony Evans
3. Charles Stanley
4. Jack Graham
5. Joel Olsteen
after reading the thread about jw kids getting gifts all year and not needing christmas, i thought about how i was told there would be plenty of toys in the new system.
i was told that on my birthday too.
and now i started thinking about all the things i justified suffering growing up as a kid, and then a teenager, and then an adult, because it would be better in the new system.
SophieG... I was gonna smuggle my Bullet in! Screw them! They ain't taking that away from me!
lol...I understand...lol
it was always stressed that the five weekly meetings were like the fingers on your hand.
each one was just as important as the next.
which of the meetings were the most boring,bothersome and difficult to listen to?
Blondie....The public talk (I lived back in the 60 minute kind) ... I actually liked the book study (old form) which lasted 60 minutes
I have not been to a meeting in over 10 years...so the meetings are shortened now? and how many do they have?
